MORE than 2000 chess players and parents joined hundreds of enthusiasts as the British Chess Championship came to Liverpool this summer. With an innovative wraparound festival, organisers have praised the city’s wider community for supporting the event.
The tournament and festival were supported by Liverpool BID Company, part of its programme of using the investment made by the city’s business community to drive footfall and activity in the city.
Running from Thursday 31st July to Sunday 10th August, the competition brought the UK’s top Grandmasters and 100s of amateur players to the city from the UK and abroad. The junior championships brought families to the city who require hotel rooms, restaurant meals and touristic activities, to the benefit of local businesses.
The wraparound festival was designed to create “chess fever” in Liverpool. Eighteen different activities, from lectures to lessons to simultaneous displays were staged in venues, such as Liverpool Central Library, the Walker Art Gallery and Liverpool One. These served to encourage public participation and were full to capacity or overbooked.
The festival brought a boost to the city, with footfall in the area up by +5.8% v 2024. Occupancy is at 72% around St Georges Hall from 31/07 to 09/08, +9.5% on 2024.
Malcolm Pein from the English Chess Federation said: “The two-week event was a great success, with record entries to the Championships. Many of these events leveraged the remarkable chess history in Liverpool which includes the world’s oldest active club, Liverpool Chess Club, founded in 1837.
“The feedback from participants was excellent, as the tournament was held in the stunning surroundings of St George’s Hall with playing conditions that were perfect for competitive chess. The timing of the tournament, ending in the first week of August, avoided the peak periods around football matches and so competitors were able to take advantage of reasonable hotel rates for the duration.
“Chess was played indoors and outdoors, for fun, or in deadly serious competition, and by players of all ages from 4 to 93. The championship also included disabled and blind players and the event left a lasting legacy for hundreds of children in Liverpool, as schools, libraries and youth clubs received, or will continue to receive, free chess lessons from CSC. The tournament also enabled local players to participate in high level competitions to which they would usually have to travel long distances, and traditionally do not participate in.”
CEO of Liverpool BID Company, Bill Addy said: “We are delighted to have supported this event and to see the hugely positive impact it has had on everyone involved. This is exactly why we support events like this through our subvention fund; it allows for real creativity to bring as many people as possible to Liverpool, gives a boost to our hospitality sector, and gives us a chance to build on a vibrant city offer”.
